(Politico) — Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) is proposing allowing governors to use National Guard troops to increase security at schools in the wake of the Newtown, Conn. shooting.

Boxer, who said the legislation is modeled after a previous law that had National Guard troops help with border security, would allow governors to decide how troops would be used at schools. While a governor already has the power to send troops to a school, the legislation would allow for the governors to access federal funds for those troops, she said.

While not ruling out the possibility of military-clad National Guard troops at school entrances, Boxer also said those troops could be used to help improve infrastructure at schools or relieve police officers from desk work that would allow the police departments to assign more cops to schools.

Boxer pointed to the $640 billion national defense bill and argued that some of those funds should be used to protect schools.

“Is it not part of the national defense to make sure our children are safe?” Boxer said.

Boxer said she has not spoken with any of her colleagues or with the White House, which today is announcing a task force to look at gun cont